No! In fact, the nursing home may have told you that precisely because they are responsible for the death–particularly if your father was in his own living quarters on the nursing home property.
Self-neglect is a term describing seniors who stop taking proper care of themselves, including feeding, bathing, or taking daily medications. In most cases, these seniors are living alone and do not have anyone to ensure they are able to function independently. Many seniors are placed in nursing homes specifically to avoid accidental deaths and self-neglect, as there should always be staff members on hand to check on the residents regularly.
However, this is not always the case. Many nursing homes fail to provide proper care to patients, such as denying them adequate food and water, changing their clothing regularly, and adhering to their daily medication schedule. When a death occurs, the nursing home may claim the death is due to self-neglect rather than negligence on the part of the staff.
Even if your loved one was living in an assisted living community, the facility may still be held liable for his death. These facilities still have a duty to make regular visits to their residents to ensure they remain healthy. If the community failed to provide adequate shelter, such as refusing to improve a crumbling structure, the living conditions may have caused an infection that contributed to the death.
It is vital that you have your loved one’s death investigated as soon as possible to find out if the nursing home could be at fault.
Has Your Loved One Been Injured In A Nursing Home?
If you believe your loved one is being subjected to nursing home abuse you need to speak with an experienced Kentucky nursing home neglect attorney as soon as possible. Contact us online or call our office directly at 888.450.4456 to schedule a free consultation.